Red Sox Road Trip: Rutland, VT

Contributors

Written by shelley

Saturday, 23 January 2010 20:09

I am lucky enough to be one of the contributors to Fenway West who lives on the East Coast...New York, specifically. During the off season, the Red Sox host events across the states commonly known as Red Sox Nation...a road trip. They go around...bring Wally and some fun games and let fans come on out and get an early opportunity to buy tickets.

Yes, New York is not part of Red Sox Nation...even though Upstate could make a case for itself. However, Vermont is....and I can be across the border and into VT in no time. One of the many stops for the Red Sox Road Trip was Rutland, VT this past Friday. That's basically an hour from my house...so, how could I not go? I hopped in the car...and headed my way to destination Red Sox Road Trip.

Also, I got to tweep up (as the cool kids call it) with @pcon from twitter. I've never met an actual live person from twitter before. Since we were both going...and talk about the Red Sox back and forth (and our love of Josh Beckett)...how could we not make plans to meet up?? Let me tell all y'all...if you don't follow her, you should. She's adorably sweet and nice...a kick arse Red Sox fan...and just a cool cat.

Here are a few tidbits from the trip for all you west coasters....

1) This kid was walking around the mall and came upon the Red Sox event. Kid was wearing a Yankees shirt. As he turned the corner and saw hundreds of Red Sox fans, he nonchalantly zipped up his hoodie to cover his Yankee shirt. I literally laughed out loud. As a Red Sox fan in New York...that's cowardice kid. Wear your team gear...and wear it with pride.

2) I got a coupon to buy two more Red Sox tickets...I know, I know...like I need more. But of course, I always need more. I can buy them before they officially go on sale. Maybe the first game in Fenway against the Dodgers...you know...when Manny is back?

3) Wally was there. He's a mascot for the kids...but he's still all kinds of adorable. Word on the street is that I fist bumped him when he walked by. Cannot confirm or deny. Wally then...walked into the Sprint store and looked at phones. Hey...mascots need a cell phone plan too. Also, people were asking for Wally's autograph. Really? Y'all know that's a guy in a suit??

4) I got to hang out with the World Series trophies again. I touched the 2004 one when no one was looking...and also got to oogle a guy's world series ring. If I could have, I would have distracted him and totally stole it. I want that bling!

5) While in Vermont, I bought a couple of things. Who can go to the mall and not buy things? I bought a Paul Pierce Celtic t-shirt. I figure...I don't have any Celtics shirts and my fav current basketball player is Pierce, so seemed like a good choice. Also bought a pair of warm, comfy Red Sox pajama pants. P.S. Vermont does not have sales tax on their clothing...which is of course, awesomesauce!

Comments (5) add comment

Wanda Fischer said:

...
I also live in upstate New York, but I am in Schenectady, so it takes me a little longer to get to Rutland than it takes you. It's a nice drive, through Lake George and then over into Vermont. I wish I had known about this event. I would have also gone. I'm not sure you would have hung out with me, though, because I'm one of the oldies (but goodies) Red Sox fans--I've been following them since 1956! I wish we had a Red Sox Nation "presence" in upstate, since our "governor" is downstate, and all the events they seem to have revolve around NYC.

I was only able to get two tickets this year--the two that came with my Red Sox Nation membership. I can only go to Sunday games because of my Saturday night job, so that's pretty limiting.

I enjoyed your post, Shelley. If you ever hear of any other events like this, please let me know. Thanks!

Wanda

January 23, 2010
Votes: +2

Red Sox Sonoma said:

...
While in RI last summer, I took my daughter to a mall in Providence, where we saw a few guys wearing Yankees hats. I had the opportunity to talk to one of them and told them about a friend and band mate who is a Yankees fan, as well as my father being a Yankee fan. It was a pretty decent and civil conversation. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Not all Yankee fans are scum. And I would hope that some of Yankee fans say the same thing about Red Sox fans.

Now, if we could only get that Sox road show to visit San Francisco.

January 23, 2010 | url
Votes: +0

shelley1005 said:

...
Of course all Yankees fan aren't scum....must aren't in fact. Hey, I live in New York...so if anyone should know this, it would be me. I have a bunch of friends who are Yankees fans. We talk about baseball in general...our teams and the rivalry.

I almost always go to Yankees games with a friend who is a Yanks fan. Last year we went to 2 games at Yank Stadium, but never brought her to Fenway. I'm bringing her with me on the 4/6 game...so she can experience the wonder we call Fenway Park.

Wanda...ah, I would hang out with you...especially since you've been a Red Sox fan longer than I have been alive. In my area, the fan base is split about 50/50 with Red Sox and Yanks. As you get more south...it definitely tips in the Yankee favor. I'll definitely let you know if anything is brewing in our area. Always great to find and now more devote Red Sox fans in my area.

January 24, 2010
Votes: +0

Matt O'Donnell said:

	... I would buy tickets to the July 4th game against the Mariners and hope that King Felix is on the mound against Beckett.
	report abuse vote down vote up

January 24, 2010 | url
Votes: +0

Wanda Fischer said:

...
I know and work with many Yankee fans. They get upset with me because I won't fight with them! I will, however, TALK BASEBALL with them. Many of them even voted for me for RSN president in 2007. Go figure, huh?

I tell them all the time that if they want to discuss the quality of the games between the Red Sox and Yankees, I'm there, but if you just want to trash talk, go elsewhere. Most of the time, they are stunned.

But when my kids went to Schenectady High School, they of course had Red Sox DNA. They were in the minority then, since one graduated in 1996, the other in 1998--not as many Sox fans back then as there are now (at least not as many admitted it back then). Whenever their friends came to our house wearing their Yankee gear, I made them take it off and leave it at the door. It got to be a big joke at our house. No Yankee hats, no Yankee jerseys, no Yankee jackets. Pretty soon they learned!

But they also learned that I knew my baseball and could keep right up with them in a discussion about strategy and what was happening on the field.

I never fight with a Yankee fan. I came close during the comeback game in 2004 during the playoffs, though, when we were down three games to none. I was watching at the Los Angeles airport as the Red Sox were making their comeback. It was exciting, and I had just played in a national (senior, if you must know) tennis championship in Palm Springs. We were watching the game as we waited for our flight, and this Yankee fan came and gave me a lecture about how the Red Sox and their fans were "such losers." He went on and on, and I almost lost it. Finally, I turned to him and said, "Can you just let me watch my bloody game???" He laughed and asked, "Whatsa matta? Can't you take it?" My response was, "Not unless you take yourself out of my viewing space." So he left. And we won. And we won that series and the big kahuna--the WORLD SERIES!!!